HOW TO SHOP FOR PLANTS

Rachel
May 13, 2021
4 min read

Tips to help you avoid the overwhelm and plant shop with confidence.

Read on to see if this scene sounds familiar:

You're walking in to get some groceries. You see a bright display of hanging baskets filled with flowers, tempting you to take a closer look.

You think: My house could sure use some flowers. So pretty! Maybe this will be the year I garden.

Then you think: $14.99 is a lot for a basket of flowers. I don't N E E D them. And, what if I kill it?

So then you pick through cheeper options, oh good, the same plant in smaller pots is $2.99. You buy 3.

Then you get home and look at your front garden.

And think to yourself: where am I even going to put these? They clash with the shutters and they look so small next to that big bush. Sigh.

SOUND FAMILIAR?

When you're at the store, seeing all these bright cheery options in that beautiful display can seduce you into spending money you didn't even intend to, (that IS the point of those displays.) And, plants are living. So you can't just toss it in the goodwill pile if it doesn't quite work. Now what?

I'VE BEEN THERE!

And... I may actually end up there again the next time I get groceries. HA.

But, I've also had great success planning ahead. And so can you. Here are some tips and to help you avoid the overwhelm and plant shop with confidence.

1. Make a Plan and a List

I know. Homework. But I promise, even spending a few min looking at your space and deciding what you need before you go will be well worth it.

- Draw your space on paper, (circles are fine, it's not an artwork!) or

- Or, print out a photo of the space and draw over on it with markers

- Or, print out a photo and use tracing paper to cover it,

- Add in anything existing, trees, plants, windows on your house, etc

Then decide what's missing.

Do you need height? Do you need color? Do you need texture? Where are the empty spots? Where are the pathways?

Here's a quick plan/sketch I did:

Then, you'll know what and how much you want to buy. You don't need to know the exact varieties, but something along the lines of: "a tall spiky plant here, small white flowers here," etc. A rough idea is fine.

Which then brings me to the next tip:

2. Know your plant types

Annuals - these plants will give you bright pops of color. For one summer. They won't generally survive the winter. The bright side: they are less expensive, and very colorful. If you're into home decor, think of them as the "throw pillows" of your garden. (See the flat of GERANIUMS at left, an annual)

Perennials - these plants will come back year after year. They are more expensive, rightly so, since you get to enjoy them for longer. (To remember the difference, the word Perennial is longer, and you get to keep the plants longer. Annual is a shorter word and you get the plant only for one summer). In our home decor analogy, think of them as the area rugs and furniture. You can move them around if you need to, but it takes some work. (See HOSTA at right, a perennial)

Trees/Shrubs - if it has a woody stem and bark, it's in this category. Be especially watchful when buying a tree or shrub of how tall it will grow, and how wide it will spread. Roots can also cause damage to foundations and pipes, so plant away from these things. Back to home decor comparisons: shrubs/trees are like walls, cabinets, countertops. They ought to stay put, and they become a very permanent part of the landscape. (See LILAC at left, a shrub)

Ok now you're armed with those three categories. Here's another bit of info:

3. Sun and Shade

Plants have different sunlight requirements. If you plant a shade-loving plant in the sun, it will wither. Vice versa, the sun-loving plant planted in a shady corner will be sad and not grow.

If you don't want to spend the whole day outside, a simple way to figure this out is to take a picture of your garden space several times throughout the day. In the morning, around lunchtime, around dinner. Assign one of your older kids to do this task if you want. Look at the photos: Does this garden get sunlight during the day? or are all the pictures in shade?

If you want to take it a step further, look at your garden area on Google Earth, look at the obstacles that will cast shadows, like houses, trees, fences. If those are to the south of your garden, you'll likely have shade. If your garden areas are south facing with nothing blocking the sunlight, those will be your sunniest spots. This is how I determined where to put my veggie garden.

Once you know whether you're planting in sun and shade, you can look at plant labels to make sure you're getting the right plants for your spot.

4. Buy more than you think you'll need (for Annuals)

Ok you'll either love or hate this - but if you're buying annuals, buy a few more than you think you'll need. Notice how nice they all look shoulder to shoulder on the rack at the store. When you get home, you'll get more impact by planting several side by side, a small group or cluster is going to look much better than a single plant. If you have extra (a problem I seldom have. LOL) you can put them in a pot on the porch or give away to a neighbor.

BONUS:

Knowing your USDA hardiness zone is helpful if you are buying online. If you buy local, they should only be selling plants that will thrive in your area.